Requiem for Martin O'Malley's Campaign

Last edited Tue Feb 2, 2016, 11:25 AM - Edit history (2)

WELL, that's about it for Martin O'Malley's campaign, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sore. All the more poignant and bittersweet an end after an enlightening and inspiring campaign which surprised even this decades-long resident of his home state of Maryland. Presidential campaigns always seem to bring out the best in these candidates and it's fair to say that Gov. O'Malley was as inspired and transformed by the people he met along the trail as he hoped they were by his candidacy.

The swift fall of the O'Malley campaign is also softened by the prospect of the remaining contest between his two very formidable rivals in this primary who have also inspired us with their strong and competitive bids for the presidency.

Martin O'Malley's own run for the White House will mostly be remembered for the integrity he showed in raising Latino issues consistently throughout his campaign. Also, his commitment to gun safety and climate change in this campaign was second to none, in the detail of his proposals and the frequency of his advocacy on the trail, which matched the commitment he'd shown to these issues in the fights and progressive successes he experienced in Maryland.

I want to say that it's been my privilege to discuss, debate, and share info with DUers about O'Malley. The vast majority of posters have made it a pleasure to share this campaign here and have been exceedingly kind and accommodating of this promising bid which never seemed to catch the political wind in its lofty and capable sails.

O'Malley had a thing in this campaign, as most folks already know well, of picking up a guitar at the end of most of his rallies. Less well-known is the fact that it was almost always a fan or supporters guitar brought along with the hope of coaxing a tune out of the more than willing campaign crooner.

The pics we see of O'Malley's March, Martin's real-life band he's performed with in and out of office, portray him as a rock star, all fast and oiled. Yet, the reality is that O'Malley's a folkie out of the best and most gentle of traditions of the craft. In true and classic Woody Guthrie form, he sang about life, love, and opportunity and inspired us to sing along.

One of my best memories was an early event in Iowa where O'Malley performed his standby version of Passenger's 'Scare Away the Dark.' It was a perfect metaphor for his underdog candidacy, and an apt ballad for the lives of the people he met along the way. A verse...

"Sing, sing at the top of your voice,
Love without fear in your heart.
Feel, feel like you still have a choice
If we all light up we can scare away the dark"

At the end, the audience is invited to hum along in unison with the tune as he fades out. Priceless.

Here's the clip, and many thanks again for putting up with me in this forum.